The present invention relates to the art of molds, and more particularly, to a method of protecting a mold having a substantially planar surface provided with a plurality of mold cavities.
Electronic devices such as semiconductors, processors, logic chips and the like employ solder balls as an interconnection to other components. That is, the solder balls provide a communication path to and from the electronic device. In addition, the solder balls may serve as an attachment element for securing the electronic device to another component. The solder balls are formed in molds and then attached to the electronic device. Over time, and through multiple uses and associated handling, the molds become scratched either from blading of the metal into cavities formed in the mold or from normal handling. Small scratches often lead to false defects that cause confusion during inspection. Moreover, over time, small scratches develop into cracks that may lead to catastrophic mold failure. In addition, some large scratches or gouges can behave like a pathway that captures and transferring solder between mold cavities.